You can design your own shed online in one sitting, with no drawing skills and no building background. You set the size, add lean-tos and walls, choose your cladding, doors and colours, and see every change in 3D. Only when you are happy do you add your site details and request a quote. This guide walks you through each step and what to have ready.
What does the online shed designer do?
The online designer lets you build your shed on screen. You set the size and roof pitch, then add lean-tos, internal walls, a mezzanine, doors, windows and colours. You view the result in 3D and, when you are ready, send the design to us for a site-specific quote. It is a starting point, not a final plan.
It saves time because we begin with a clear picture of what you want. Instead of describing a building over the phone, you show it. You can change your mind as often as you like, and you can press Start Over to begin again at any time.
The designer suits farmers, lifestyle buyers, tradies and business owners. It handles anything from a simple garage to a larger workshop, barn or machinery shed.
What are the steps in the designer?
The designer has a row of tabs down the right-hand side of the screen: Sizing, Lean-To, Cladding, Internal Wall, Mezzanine, Openings, Colours and Environment. Work through them from the top, or jump to any tab at any time. Your building updates in 3D as you go. The last step, Get Quote, is where you give us your job site details.
Step 1: set your size (Sizing tab)
Start with how big the building needs to be. The Sizing tab has boxes for width, height and length, a roof pitch menu, a slab on and off switch, and the number of bays. Think about how you will use the space, not just the floor area.
- Width, height and length: allow room for vehicles, machines, benches and walking space. The designer accepts widths from 1 m to 35 m, heights from 1 m to 8 m and lengths from 2 m to 200 m.
- Height: check your tallest vehicle, machine or caravan, including any open tray or raised tipper.
- Roof pitch: choose the pitch from the menu to suit the look you want.
- Number of bays: bays are the sections along the length of the building. You can choose from 2 to 12.
- Slab: switch the slab on or off to show a concrete floor in the 3D view.
If you are between two sizes, go with the bigger one. Most owners find they wish they had more room, not less.
The Sizing tab also has three tools for fine-tuning: Dynamic Resize, Portal Tool and Position / Rotation. Try them once you have set the basic size.
Step 2: add a lean-to (Lean-To tab)
A lean-to is an extension attached to the side of the main building, often used for covered parking, storage or an open work area. On the Lean-To tab you can add, remove or adjust lean-tos and extensions to the main structure. Skip this tab if you do not need one.
Step 3: choose your cladding (Cladding tab)
Cladding is the steel sheeting on your roof and walls. On the Cladding tab you choose the roof profile and the wall profile from drop-down menus. You can also edit skylights, whirlybirds (roof ventilators) and overhangs.
Use the Cladding (On / Off) button at the top of the 3D view to see the frame without the sheeting. It is a handy way to understand how the building goes together.
Step 4: add internal walls (Internal Wall tab)
If you want to divide the space, for example into a workshop and a storeroom, use the Internal Wall tab. Switch Interact on at the top of the 3D view, then use the handle icons that appear to add a wall, remove a wall, resize it or flip its direction.
Step 5: add a mezzanine (Mezzanine tab)
A mezzanine is a raised floor inside the building, useful for storage or a loft-style space. Press Add on the Mezzanine tab to put one in. Leave it out if you do not need it.
Step 6: place doors and windows (Openings tab)
Next, add the openings that make the shed usable. On the Openings tab you pick an opening style, then place it on the building. The styles are Open Bays, Windows, PA Doors (personal access doors), Sliding Glass Doors, Roller Doors and Sliding Doors. Switch Interact on, then use the handle icons to add an opening, shift one along the wall, or move it to a new spot.
Picture a normal day in the shed. Where do you park, load, unload and walk? Put the openings there.
- Roller doors: match the opening to your biggest vehicle, with room to spare either side.
- Open bays: a good fit for machinery, hay and covered parking.
- PA doors: place them where you will actually walk in and out.
- Sliding doors and sliding glass doors: useful for wide openings or a workshop that opens onto a view.
- Windows: consider natural light, ventilation and privacy.
Step 7: pick your colours (Colours tab)
Choose your colours separately for the roof cladding, the wall cladding, the gutter and the downpipe. Press Select next to each one, and the building updates on screen so you can see how the combination looks before you decide. Our team can adjust further details, such as flashings, when your design is reviewed. All our cladding is genuine COLORBOND steel. For more help, read our guide to COLORBOND sheds, colours and cladding.
Step 8: check it in its setting (Environment tab)
The Environment tab places your building on grass, or another ground type from the menu, and lets you drag and drop objects from a library into the scene. The library includes cars, a trailer, a bicycle, a truck, and farm and earthmoving machinery such as tractors and excavators. Use it to check that your own gear really fits through the doors and that you have room to turn.
Step 9: request your quote (Get Quote)
When you are happy with your design, press Get Quote at the top of the screen. This is the first time the designer asks where the building is going.
How do you submit your design?
The quote request form asks for your contact details and a few facts about the job. We receive your design exactly as you built it, so there is no need to describe it again.
The form asks for:
- Your details: first and last name, email address and mobile number.
- Job site location: search for your address, or enter the street address, suburb, state and postcode.
- A few quick questions: is this a residence, do you require installation, is your finance arranged, and do you own the land.
- Timing: when you are planning to build.
- An additional note.
Use the additional note well. Tell us about:
- Slope, access or soft ground on your block.
- What you plan to store or do in the building.
- Anything you are unsure about, such as roof style or door position.
- Whether you will install yourself, use your own builder, or want a referral to an installer.
The more we know, the better the quote. Press Submit and your design and details come to us.
What happens after you submit?
After you submit, we review your design, check it against what your site needs, and prepare a site-specific quote. Our engineering runs on HiTen's CFBS platform. Most standard shed quotes are returned within one business day. Complex buildings and shed homes take longer.
Here is the usual path:
- Review: we check your design and may ask a few questions.
- Engineering: the building is engineered for your site's wind region, terrain category, soil and council requirements, before manufacture.
- Quote: you receive a site-specific quote based on your design.
- Your decision: you confirm, change or ask questions. There is no obligation to proceed.
If you go ahead, we supply the kit and deliver it to site. You then arrange installation yourself, through your own builder, or through an independent installer from the HiTen network. See how it works.
What should you do before you start?
Spend ten minutes preparing and you will finish the designer faster and get a more accurate quote. Measure your site, think about what you will use the building for, and have your job site address handy for the quote request at the end.
- Measure your site. Note the space available, the slope, and where access is. Allow room around the building for trucks and working.
- Know your use. Write down what will go inside: vehicles, machinery, hay, a workshop, a hobby space. This decides height, doors and size.
- Think ahead. Will you add to it later, or need more room in a few years?
- Check with your council. Rules vary by area. Ask what applies to your property before you finalise anything.
- Have inspiration ready. A photo of a house, a shed or a colour combination you like helps a lot.
You do not need exact answers. Make your best choice and we will help you refine it.
What is the online designer not?
The designer produces an initial design, not final engineering or a binding price. It shows what you want and gives us what we need to start. Final engineering and a site-specific quote come afterwards. Think of it as a sketch with real detail behind it.
It is worth being clear about this:
- It is not final engineering. Your building is engineered for its site after you submit.
- It is not a binding price. You receive a site-specific quote once we have reviewed your design.
- It is not an approval. Your council makes its own decision. Check with them early.
- It is not locked in. You can talk to us about changes before anything is finalised.
Next step: design your shed online
Ready to try it? Open the designer, build your shed in 3D and request a site-specific quote when you are ready. It takes only a short time, and you can adjust your design as your ideas develop.
You can also visit Design Your Shed for more detail.
Questions about your project? Use our enquiry form or call 1800 039 690.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any experience to use the designer?
No. You pick options and see them on screen. If you get stuck or are unsure about a choice, submit your best attempt and tell us what you are unsure about in the additional note. We will help you refine it.
Does it cost anything to design a shed online?
Designing and submitting costs nothing to try, and you have no obligation to proceed.
Do I need to enter my address before I start?
No. The designer only asks for your job site address at the end, when you press Get Quote. You can build and change your design first.
Can I design something that is not a standard shed?
Yes. Start with the closest option and tell us the rest in your note. We handle large clear-span sheds, barns, commercial buildings and shed homes as well as garages and workshops.
What if I make a mistake?
Nothing is final when you submit. We review your design and talk to you about changes before the quote and engineering are finalised. Mention anything you are unsure about in your note.